Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-23
GAMBLERS BY INSTINCT.
How the Chinese Wager Their
Cash on Sparrow Fights.
detroit Free Press.

lDelTOlt rIcC fiSnf.J
On Croghan street, not far from St.
Mary's Church, stands an old dilapi-
dated two-story building, over the
door of which hangs red sign with
the legend, "Sam Wo, Chinese Laun-
dry," inscribed thereon. This may
not strike the causal observer as
anything very remarkable, but if
he could just peep in this
old building about two nights in
the week he would witness what to
the Cinnamon assembled is a most
novel and exciting sport-sparrow
fighting. On Friday night, as
previously arranged, the reporter re-
turned to the laundry, and after Il
weary wait of nearly an hour, during
which time the Mongolian was en-
gagged in braiding his "pig-tail" and
putting on new pair of embroidered
shoes, the two left the establish
ment for the "joint" on Croghan
street. Upon nearing the place it was
seen that the laundry in the front part
OF the building was in total darkness,
while bright light shone through the
cracks of a pine board partition that
IOTllltu ~ DdCh IOOilis liiC Souiit vi
voices within told that the back room
was occupied. The reporter stood on
the sidewalk near the curbstone,
while his Chinese friend went up and
ratified on the front door. No sooner
had this been done than the chattering
inside ceased The call was promptly
answered by another Mongolian, the
Cass street celestial was admitted and
the door locked. The reporter had
lust about made up his mind that his
celestial friend would not have intlu-
ence enough to gain him admission,
when the door opened again and he
was allowed to enter. Once inside
and the door locked. the Cinnamon
led him through side hallway into
the back room. The room was about
25x2O feet, on one side OF which were
five hunks. Two of these were filled
with linen, while the contents, if
ANYTHING, of the remaining three
were obscured from view by turkey
red curtain stretched across. From
the top of one of the hunks that was
curtained faint blue smoke arose
and the general state of the atmos-
phere in the room led to the opinion
that some celestial was, or hal been,
hitting the pipe From the ceiling in
the center of the room hanging lamp
was suspended to within few feet of
the floor. This threw a bright light
ON square piece of carpet and also
on the countenances of nineteen China
men who were kneeling in a circle,
eagerly watching a battle between two
sparrows, when the reporter entered.
Upon getting little closer it was seen
that each bird had handler the same
as in a cockpit. The birds fought
desperately, clawing and tearing each
others feathers and seeming to be
altogether unmindful of their strange
surroundings. The Mongolians
watched the sport with great 81 'e, and
whenever one bird would get the other
down on the carpet its hackers would
demonstrate their approval by vlgor-
ously pounding on the floor with their
fists. The fight lasted about seven
minutes. when one of the sparrows was
killed, both eyes being pecked out, as
well as all of the feathers from its
breast. Considerable money changed
hands, betting all the way from 90 cents
to $40 being INDUCED in. Two more
birds were then brought in, one in a
peach basket and the other in starch
box, and after all wrangling had
ceased and all bets were made, the
handlers faced the birds and let them
peck one another on the head several
times before letting them go, This
evidently was to 'rile" the sparrows
up. Aft this proceeding the birds
tussled about on the carpet for few
minutes, when one of them suddenly
expired. The sport was kept up until
after midnight, when the crowd dis,
persed, some richer, some poorer, and
all more or less tired out.